Fig.1: Friesland speed skates,
around 1910Traditional model in luxurious finish. They have worked out platforms
that match the bottoms of shoes or boots and a nice curl. The slots in the
platforms indicate the use of luxurious straps as well. As shown
underneath serious speed skates were developed later on with the
qualities of this model in mind.

Fig.2:Friesland
speed skates, around 1915This model has been designed especially for serious
speed skaters.
The traditional runner blades were made longer by extending them
both at the front and at the rear. This pair still has a rather
tall tip; later models had fronts that were not taller than the
platform itself, as shown underneath. Contact between boots and skates was improved
greatly by modelling the platforms to the boot bottom shapes.

Fig.3: Friesland speed skates, around 1920
The Dutch called this model 'wooden Norwegians' as the
platforms made them look like the Norwegian ice skates with their in tubes
mounted runner blades. Some manufacturers proudly called them 'Friesland
Norwegians'. They were designed by a mr. A. Stheemann. It is likely that he
was inspired by the design of American speed skates that became
known in Europe thanks to the popular international speed skating
championships at the end of the 19th century. They were designed based on
the model shown in figure 2. He designed a functional product
without any unnecessary detail. The curls were skipped (detail 3a) and the
runner blades extended far behind the heel , the very thin blades
supported by a 'wooden tail'( detail 3b). These skates have
modelled platforms for optimal contact between shoes and skates. Skates
of this type have been produced and sold in the Netherlands until around
1965.Manufacturer: Royal A.K. Hoekstra & Co., Warga;
mark:
Technical data:
total length: 41.5 cm; height over ice: 3.5 cm;
platforms: 28 cm long, 6 cm wide;
runner blades: 18 mm tall, 2 mm thick;
weight: 325 g

Fig.4: Friesland speed skates,
around 1960
These skates have wooden platforms and runner blades fitted in tubular metal frames like the
Norwegian speed skates. They therefore were called 'Combi Norwegians'. This
model may be considered to have been the last attempt of the traditional Dutch skates
making industry to cope with the competition of the Norwegian model. It did
not work out, however. Though many serious skaters think this model represents the
best wooden skates ever made, they lost the battle against the growing
competition of the metal speed skates from the emerging countries. Around 1965 almost all
manufacturers of traditional ice skates closed their doors.
Manufacturer: J. Nooitgedagt & Zn, IJlst; mark:
Technical data:
total length: 45 cm; height over ice: 4.6 cm;
platforms: 30 cm long, 6.5 cm wide;
runner blades: 25 mm tall, 1.7 mm thick;
weight: 435 g